Nested polymerase chain reaction (nPCR) demonstrated the presence of Chlamydia pneumoniaespecific DNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). PBMC samples were obtained from 103 consecutive patients (62 male, 41 female) aged 22 -85 years (mean, 64) admitted for coronary angiography because of suspected coronary heart disease and from 52 blood donors (43 male, 9 female) aged 40 -64 years (mean, 49). Of the 101 evaluable patients, 60 (59%) were identified by nPCR assay as C. pneumoniae DNA carriers; C. pneumoniae -specific microimmunofluorescence (MIF) serology confirmed exposure to the bacterium in 57 (95%) of the 60 nPCR-positive patients. Among the 52 blood donors, the nPCR assay identified 24 (46%) C. pneumoniae DNA carriers, all of whom were positive by C. pneumoniae-specific serology. Thirty-two patients (32%) and 23 blood donors (44%) were MIF antibody -positive but repeatedly nPCR-negative; Bartonella henselae -or Bartonella quintana -specific antibodies were not detected among any of these subjects. In this study, C. pneumoniae DNA was common in PBMC of patients with coronary heart disease and in middle-aged blood donors.Chlamydia pneumoniae has been established as a common polymerase chain reaction (PCR) detection is a technically feasible approach that is becoming an important tool in the diagnoand important pathogen causing upper and lower respiratory tract infections in humans [1]. Also, several recent studies have sis of pulmonary tuberculosis and for monitoring the efficacy of antituberculosis therapy. suggested that C. pneumoniae may be implicated in atherosclerotic disease [2 -5], and treatment with antichlamydial antibiot-The advent of PCR technology has resulted in major advantages in the diagnosis of chlamydial infections, and we have ics may reduce the risk of recurrent ''cardiac events'' in patients with established atherosclerotic coronary heart disease recently shown that nested PCR (nPCR) is a sensitive and specific method for diagnosing patients with acute respiratory [6, 7].A properly performed serology may be of value in diagnos-C. pneumoniae infections [8]. The purpose of the present study was to investigate prospectively whether blood-based nPCR is ing an acute C. pneumoniae infection [8]. In the case of persistent C. pneumoniae infection, however, serology is less useful useful in identifying individuals carrying circulating C. pneumoniae DNA. [9]. Therefore, there is an obvious need for methods that could identify individuals persistently infected by C. pneumoniae.C. pneumoniae may be harbored in human monocytes [10], Methods and monocytes are therefore a potential reservoir and source Samples. Venous whole blood (10 mL) was collected in for diagnostic efforts. Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a case in EDTA-treated tubes from 103 consecutive patients (62 male, 41 point. In a study of patients with active M. tuberculosis infecfemale) aged 22-85 years (mean, 64) who were admitted to Umeå tion, Condos et al. [11] showed that peripheral blood-based University Hospital for coronary ...

Avian influenza A viruses exhibit a strong preference for using α2,3‐linked sialic acid as a receptor. Until recently, the presumed lack of this receptor in human airways was believed to constitute an efficient barrier to avian influenza A virus infection of humans. Recent zoonotic outbreaks of avian influenza A virus have triggered researchers to analyse tissue distribution of sialic acid in further detail. Here, we review and extend the current knowledge about sialic acid distribution in human tissues, and discuss viruses with ocular tropism and their preference for α2,3‐linked sialic acid.

Real-time PCR was evaluated as a quantitative diagnostic method for Chlamydia pneumoniae infection using different respiratory samples. Real-time PCR had efficiency equal to or better than that of nested touchdown PCR. This study confirmed sputum as the best sampling material to detect an ongoing C. pneumoniae infection

Objective. To assess associations of Chlamydia trachomatis and Mycoplasma genitalium antibodies with epithelial ovarian tumors. Methods. Plasma samples from 291 women, undergoing surgery due to suspected ovarian pathology, were analyzed with respect to C. trachomatis IgG and IgA, chlamydial Heat Shock Protein 60-1 (cHSP60-1) IgG and M. genitalium IgG antibodies. Women with borderline tumors (n = 12), ovarian carcinoma (n = 45), or other pelvic malignancies (n = 11) were matched to four healthy controls each. Results. Overall, there were no associations of antibodies with EOC. However, chlamydial HSP60-1 IgG antibodies were associated with type II ovarian cancer (P = .002) in women with plasma samples obtained >1 year prior to diagnosis (n = 7). M. genitalium IgG antibodies were associated with borderline ovarian tumors (P = .01). Conclusion. Chlamydial HSP60-1 IgG and M. genitalium IgG antibodies are in this study associated with epithelial ovarian tumors in some subsets, which support the hypothesis linking upper-genital tract infections and ovarian tumor development.

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